Words Of Gold
by roseimagine
Summary: Before Uncharted 4: A young librarian is tasked in helping a suave thief and his "partner" locate possible clues on the mysterious whereabouts of Henry Avery's treasure. Things become far more complicated than she could have imagined because treasure hunting is actually a dark game.
1. In Private

**Hello and thank you for clicking on this story. What can I say, I just finished Uncharted 4 and fell in love with Sam Drake's character because simply put he's a hunk, ahah :D**

 **Anyways, what I wanted for this story was that Sam as we know was imprisoned for 13 years and the remainder of the 2 years he spent it working for Rafe, making that a total of 15yrs since he's seen Nathan. I believe he bought his time and hatched a plan to get away from Rafe in a tactful manner and my story picks up on just that.**

 **This is my first uncharted fic but I hope you all enjoy it! ;)**

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 _Chapter 1: In Private_

There were gaps in the shelf of books she was currently organizing. Each book had an identity: apart from the name, the cover art or design each one was undoubtedly different. The cart she was hauling was full of books, more people seemed to be interested in the vast collection the library had to offer.

She looked around the vast open room and she took notice each day of the people who came in. Today was nice and varied, as opposed to the usual crowd which consisted of people of fifty years of age or older, there was life.

At a table near her, a father was reading a book to his son. The little boy had the brightest smile as his father read and dramatized the scene he was reading. Looking a little farther she noticed a woman leaning against a shelf, the book firm in her grasp. Whatever she was reading had her very invested considering she was teary-eyed. Looking beyond she saw a young couple seated in the far corner. Each of them had a pile of books at their side, they were seated on the floor without a care. They took turns showing each other a fragment of the books they were reading, happily debating the topics.

She took pride in her work even if all she did was organize, recommend or help find books.

Her eyes wandered back to the books in her hands, she resumed her work by carefully placing a book in-between others. Currently she was very focused that she failed to notice the keeper of the library standing next to her.

"Grace a word please." She jumped and a few books fell from her grasp but the keeper helped pick up the remaining books. His voice was calm but the words seemed as if she was in some sort of trouble.

"Yes Mr. Thornton?" She adjusted her glass and hoped that his words were not something that convicted her.

"I have two gentlemen here who require assistance with a private assignment. Knowing how you are very efficient and discreet with matters I would like you to help them in whatever they need." He was surprised earlier this morning by two men who came into his office stating they were in need of some information and that his vast collection of books would do just that.

"Of course sir." Grace was a little surprised by the request but obliged, her curiosity became the main factor behind her decision.

Mr. Thornton smiled, "follow me." Grace followed behind, her heels letting off an echo with each step she took. They reached the office and two men were seated but stood up as they entered the room. "Gentlemen, this is Ms. Grace Hale." Grace offered a polite smile.

Both the males returned the smile but in their own way. The taller of the males eyes were fixed on her while the more elegantly dressed one seemed slightly annoyed. The younger, formal looking male took the front and began to introduce himself. "Please to meet you my name is Raphael Adler and my partner is Samuel Drake." She shook Raphael's hand first, his hand lightly clasping hers and then shook Samuel's hand.

"Charmed." Samuel said as he gently squeezed her hand and gave her a flirtatious grin. Grace could tell there was a big difference between the two men personality wise.

"Well gentlemen you are in good hands; Ms. Hale is one of our finest librarians. Knowledgeable in most all areas of history, I trust she will be of great help." Mr. Thornton had the highest praise for the young librarian, Grace had been working for him for many years and he had never heard anyone complain about her. Simply put she was reliable, he spoke to reassure the men that they had made the correct decision when deciding who's help they would choose.

"Ms. Hale you'll be helping my partner with some research as you might already know. I've got some errands to run Sam so I'll see you around." Raphael excused himself from the office but asked Mr. Thornton to follow him. The two of them began to speak in a hushed tone as soon as they stepped out of the office.

"Yeah Rafe, I'll let you know when we've made progress." Sam called out. He turned back to her, still wearing a smile.

She wondered what kind of facts they wanted to dig up that it required the information to be kept in private. "So what can I help you with Mr. Drake?" She hadn't exactly been briefed on the situation perhaps they wanted to test her and see if she was trustworthy.

"Are you familiar with pirates?" He asked. The question felt out of blue, surely this was some sort of joke. Samuel appeared amused by her expression.

"Of course, the legends surrounding the greediest people in history." She had a brief knowledge of pirates and their highlighted adventures. Reading about them shouldn't be too hard of a task.

"Glad to have you onboard then." He smiled once again and reached for his front jacket. He took out a cigarette and a silver lighter. His smile lingered even as he took the first drag.

Grace became preoccupied with what this job would entail.

* * *

 **Okay so there we have it! Hopefully you readers found it interesting! :)**

 **Reviews are very much welcomed, I'd like to hear your thoughts so far on the story.**

 **Thanks for reading and until next update!**

 **-roseimagine**


	2. Getting Along

**_Alright thanks for the big support on the first chapter and I hope you all enjoy this one as well! ;D_**

* * *

 _Chapter 2: Getting Along_

* * *

It's been a couple of days since they began to work together. The keeper had decided to give them a secluded area where they were free to discuss and review information away from prying eyes. So they had cleared a storage room and made it into a cozy work office.

Grace was still very surprised that Sam had disclosed all the information he knew on the pirate Henry Avery and the location in which he supposed the treasure was hidden. Knowing what to look for made her job easier but she kept very quiet and mostly referring to the search as _the matter at hand._

"In all honesty, I would have expected some resistance in telling me what it was they were looking for." She said gathering some books which were accounts of people who had come upon pirates and maps of Scotland where he presumed the treasure may also be.

"You don't look ambitious." He said giving her the cheeky smile he always seemed to wear while around her. Sam noticed he had asked for many books on various topics and decided to lend her a hand when he overheard what she was thinking. She was surprised and embarrassed at being overheard that she stood still. She tried not to give anything away in her expression and she managed, as Sam thought she looked a little upset. He offered to make amends, noticing she had many books in her hand. "C'mon I'll give you a hand with those." He said reaching for her hands, she took a step back.

"I'll use the cart." She turned around and placed the books on the cart. What did he know about her? How could he say she had nothing to aspire for in life, but, the context in which he spoke meant that she had no need for riches or the glory that he sought. She was in fact content with a peaceful life.

"I'd like to think I'm a good judge of character, that's why I told you." She hesitated in her step and looked over to him but quickly recuperated and kept walking. She figured out that this is what bothered her the most, the fact that he spoke to her as if he knew her. He was right in his assumption though.

She didn't respond to his comment not finding the words to reply with, perhaps a thanks would suffice because she did feel a sense of joy that she was considered trustworthy but that would give leeway to perhaps more conversation that might otherwise upset her.

Upon entrance of the room Grace noticed how there were so many books scattered and wondered to herself how Sam managed to keep track of the information he still needed to write down or what he had already read. She tried to organize the dispersed books by placing them in a respective stack according to their category so he wouldn't have to scramble to find a topic.

Sam sat down feeling his words would not reach Grace today or perhaps the remaining time he would spend with her. He wondered why she had such a cold exterior, whatever the ordeal was he knew she probably had the brightest of smiles and that he was willing to bring it out. Though, it was best not to tempt her anger so he began to read again through books and jotted down some notes in his journal.

Grace kept her distance but felt Sam was stressing himself out by reading so many books. "You do know there is a thing called the internet, wouldn't it be easier to obtain the information you seek from there instead of reading through countless books?" After all this was a time were people relied more on what the media via technology had to offer as opposed to old traditions of receiving news.

"Internet sources can be unreliable most of the time not to mention I love holding a book. Nothing's better than the smell and the physical aspect of it. Books are special." Sam sniffed the book making sure to take the aroma of the tree that had belonged once to a forest. Though that wasn't half the truth, after being released from prison he noticed how advance things were, he felt outdated in some ways. So he came back to his comfort zone of information.

"I see." She found him to be quite a peculiar man with the way he expressed himself but he was genuine and that was an admirable quality. Not to mention everyone has a preference in how they go about things.

They worked in silence for a while, she read through some passages she thought might be of interest when she noticed Sam take out a cigarette and a lighter. She was wide-eyed not believing how carless he was being; he must have forgotten where he was.

"Do you plan to set fire to this library Mr. Drake?" She asked seriously.

Sam separated the two items immediately but he still thought she was overreacting. "It's not like I'm holding a torch to the books."

He was being childish again with those smart remarks. Making a blunt example would probably jog some sense into him. "Forest fires usually start the same way; a small light eventually grows to an untamable sea that consumes and is relentless." She would hate to see the library she's called home destroyed in a matter of minutes just because someone was being carless.

"Alright I'm putting it out," he put the cigarette out on a plate. He found her way of speech so formal, "what a speech, planning to run for senator?" There were hints of frustration and sadness in her expression, he recalled what he said but found no immediate harm from it.

She turned around and left, not a single word, even though she looked as if she was bursting. She need to cool down thus she might not be able to continue helping him. Even though Sam didn't know his comment caused her so much pain, she couldn't be in the same room with him.

She heard Sam calling after and she tried to lose him among the many book isles but he eventually caught up to her. She tried to move around him but he cornered her, her back to the shelf and Sam wasn't about to give way as he placed his arms on each side of her. "Look we were having a good time what happened?" His eyebrows knitted together, no matter how many time he thought of his response to her he saw no error in his words.

"My job is to assist you in your research nothing more." She was just being stubborn and she recognized she was overreacting to his comment but then again it reminded her of her past and she wasn't about to reveal anything to this stranger.

"That's right I'm talking to a concrete wall," Sam could see that she wasn't going to speak at all, the look she carried was of someone who would take that secret to the grave. There was no other way to resolve it he felt, so once again he took the approach from before, "look, I'm sorry if I offended you."

"Keep your voice down," Grace could see the people around them beginning to stare, hopefully they hadn't exactly heard what Sam was saying. They sounded much like a bickering couple much to her embarrassment.

She still hadn't completely forgiven him but they had a lot of work to be done and Sam was a good man even if he was usually joking about most things or trying to flirt with her.

She wasn't going to make up any excuse for her behavior as he started the matter in the first place but she could at least find some way to relieve his guilt, "smoking is hazardous to your health so I suggest you don't continue to partake in that dangerous trend, at least not in here." She cleared her throat to mask the strain of the situation. She put her hand over his arm, he lowered his arm and gave her way. "Now there's lots of work to be done so I suggest we make haste." He took her words as an apology accepted especially since she was heading back to the office.

Not only did Sam wish to figure out where Henry Avery left his treasure but also what Grace hid about herself.

* * *

 **Grace is a tough cookie and I know that would be enough to peak Sam's interest, lol another mystery to solve.**

 **Thanks so much to Rox Malone and Laurafxox for your kind words and also thank you to those readers who favorited and followed! :)**

 **Well that's all for this chapter and I hope you readers enjoyed it.**

 _-roseimagine_


	3. The Gentleman

**_Well I hope you're all having a good Monday! So, I'd like to apologize for not updating sooner. I have another story I'm currently working on more profoundly so in that, I neglected this one. Not any more though, updates should become regular as this isn't a long story. Anyways I do hope you all enjoy this chapter :D_**

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 _Chapter 3: The Gentleman_

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Grace was walking along the book aisles helping the other librarians catch up on ordering the stack of books piling on the counter while being on her break. Sam had been so invested in his work this morning that he failed to remember to eat, so Grace had reminded him feeling it was her duty to also take care of Sam, he could be so distracted at times.

Which brought her to another thought, it had been more than a week since the investigation started and she didn't think they were any closer to finding anything on Henry Avery. Sam already knew everything about him it seemed, she would have expected him to move onto perhaps, other means of investigation. It was strange to admit but she was enjoying her read on pirates and the way Sam spoke of them peaked her interest.

She was brought out of her pondering when a book landed near her feet. She bent down to pick it up and then there were other thumps coming from the other side of the shelf. Her eyes narrowed as she noticed books scattered around the floor and on tables. She quickly turned the corner and noticed six young males laughing.

They were doing much more than laughing though, each one had books in their hands and were using them to hit each other, one went as far as throwing it at another. "Please refrain from harming the books and making ruckus." Grace exclaimed, her tolerance was shattered upon the sight of these hooligans who did as they pleased.

They laughed even harder as she came to scold them, finding her to be amusing. One just had to ask, "who are you to tell me what to do babe?"

"I'm a librarian of this establishment and you will respect me by not degrading me with such vulgar names." The teenagers came towards her but she stood her ground, her eyes never wavering from there's. "This is a place of learning, peace and quiet. I advise you respect and do as such."

"I suggest you do as she says pal." Grace turned around. Sam was behind her, he flashed her a quick smirk and resumed a serious demeanor which was a foreign look to see on him. He came to stand in front of her in a protective posture.

"Who the hell are you?" Asked the same male, Grace could tell he was the ringleader.

"Mr. Drake?" Grace could feel that Sam wasn't about to let these fellows off the leash quite easily, she was worried about the possible outcome to this. She took a couple steps back feeling the air of a fight brewing.

Sam put his hands together, his fingers lacing and then he stretched them forward, his knuckles cracking in the process. "I'm in the mood for a workout." One of the males lunged forward but Sam easily avoided him, the guy knocked head first into the table and with the impact it flipped the table over along with many books. The collision had been so direct it rendered him unconscious. "Really?" Sam questioned surprised, "Well one down five to go!" He gestured them to come towards him.

"You're gonna regret that pops!" This time two of the boys lunged at him, fists raised.

"Pops? For crying out loud I'm not that old!" Sam said easily avoiding the two boys. The way he moved, his prowess was something very captivating but Grace realized that the fight could lead to something more dangerous for the surroundings and the people within the establishment.

She stepped back and ran to the main desk she called out, "I'll call security!" She ran and noticed people in a fuss around her, she ran into some of her colleagues while on her way to a phone and told them to get everyone out safely.

Things were crashing behind her but she didn't dare turn around to look at the mess. As she rounded the corner to where the main desk was a powerful force grabbed her arm and pulled her back. She knocked into one of the pillars and fell seated, that's when she heard a faint click of metal. The ruffian had a gun and was planning to shoot her, in the adrenaline of the moment she quickly got up avoiding the gun being pointed at her.

She ran keeping her head low, she was so close to the main desk but felt an iron grip on her hand once more.

"No you won't!" He said pulling her, his grip stinging her skin as he pulled her back. The gun was shaking in the thugs hand but his finger was on the trigger.

"Let go of me!" She struggled furiously.

"Wrong move pal." Before the male had time to turn, Sam had hit him in the back of the head with a large encyclopedia book. With a heavy thud the hooligan fell to the floor, Sam took the gun and clicked the safety back on. Grace still out of breath managed to call the police and in no time they could hear the sirens outside, she felt she could breathe once more.

Sam was still surprised something like this had happened, in a library of all places. He knew they didn't have money here, the paintings on the walls weren't of that much expense, so why did this happen? Is there a possibility someone was after the information he knew, that this happened because they knew of his work on Henry Avery? If that was the cases he needed to hurry, he couldn't risk anyone's safety especially hers.

* * *

Everyone had been evacuated from the library and it would be closed until further notice, that, and they needed to clean the residues of the fight. Sam and Grace were left alone as the other librarians left to find some cleaning equipment.

The cops took away the troublemakers and Sam watched. He stood at the opening of the library, arms crossed and a triumphant smile, "and stay out. Man I've always wanted to say that." Grace rolled her eyes, a faint smile overcoming her lips. Finally, the cops drove away and all was still once more.

She turned around to walk back inside when Sam's hand grabbed hers. "Are you okay Grace?" She hadn't been harmed in the entire ordeal and it was all thanks to his intervention but before she could thank him and respond, she noticed the disaster inside.

Indeed, books were flung everywhere, reading tables toppled over, some of the smaller shelves knocked over pages scattered around the floor. Seeing this made her forget her thoughts of gratitude. She immediately took her hand out of his, "did you really have to take care of this in here?" Her eyes looked over the area and she could almost scream in frustration, this would take a while to clean up even with help.

"What?" Sam said already hearing the distress in her voice, if he didn't know her the way he did (even if it's only has been a little more than a week), he knew he was about to receive a sermon. _Typically, the way things went with her._

She couldn't stop staring at the mess before her, "you violated the rules by creating uproar and damaging most of the property." She bent down to pick up a book near her feet and grimaced seeing how torn the book looked.

"Are you serious?" Sam said annoyed, _really there was no pleasing this woman_ no matter how hard he tried and _why continued to try was beyond him_. "They were the ones who started it!" He had come in the nick of time to defend her from the gang of shady guys and all she could do was worry about the furniture, _was she really that cold?_

"Indeed but there was no need to resolve matters in such a primitive way Mr. Drake." She was against violence as she saw it as an irrational way to resolve things.

"You're so immature, and again with the Mr. Drake, geez… I'm flattered by the honorifics but I'm not and 80 year old man to be called mister all the time." She was slightly younger than he was, there really was no need for _Mister_ all the time, _she was too proper_ …

"Immature me?" She huffed, there he was acting as if he knew her again. "I don't feel obligated to be in first name terms with you for this reason." She pouted. Though, he was right again perhaps her first reactions were wrong, things could be replaced. Not people, not him… She sighed, her stability was always altered when he was around. Her inexperience of being around someone constantly who could observe her was something strange to experience.

She had studied psychology, how the mind works and yet she could not identify herself. Her thoughts had drifted too distant and Sam looked weary, she was being unreasonable and unfair towards him. It was okay to be cautious around him because he was a regular Casanova but he was someone who had gone out of his way to keep her safe. "I do admit that was rather impressive, you have a great knowledge in martial arts Samuel." Her voice was only a whisper.

His eyes glanced towards her, "so, you can be nice when you want to." He was possibly pushing his luck with her as he could tell she had struggled with a couple of thoughts as she stood quietly next to him but he couldn't help but boast. "Knew you were impressed."

"Can't give a man praise for then he sees himself all high and mighty." She rolled her eyes in a light hearted matter. A question surged in her mind however, "how did you know I needed assistance?" He had appeared with impeccable timing to protect her from the others but no one was around her to see the confrontation so it begged the question.

Sam took out a cigarette from his front pocket but stopped his action. He was hesitant to answer the question but smiled in response. "A gentlemen always knows when a beautiful girl's in trouble."

"Sure." Her blue eyes narrowed behind her glasses, definitely a lie but that's when she noticed his hands were bruised and irritated. "You're hurt." She grabbed his hand but quickly let go surprised at her own gesture, "I believe we have a first-aid case in the back. Go to the office I'll return quickly." She scurried away blushing furiously, she hoped Sam hadn't caught glimpse of her rosing cheeks.

"It's just a scratch." He called out but she was already far beyond hearing reach so he had no choice but to walk to the office and wait for her to come back. The other librarians were all returning cleaning utensils in hand, all eyes on Grace as she walked back to the office.

She settled the first aid kit on the table next to Sam and brought a chair over and took a seat in front of him. He was already taking the bandages out and sanitizer but she should be the one to assist him in this, he did the rescuing so she would do the patching up. "Allow me." She dabbed a cloth in the sanitizer and grabbed one of Sam's hands, softly tracing over his bruised knuckles.

He watched her, she was avoiding eye contact at all cost it seemed. He noticed how her eyebrows were knitted together, her full lips were pursed: she was so focused on this task. He let out a light chuckle that caused her to look up at him, "I gotta admit, if getting into fights is what makes you fuss over me then I don't mind getting into trouble often."

"Hmm…" She looked down once again, she began to feel flustered. As her gaze lingered on the floor she caught sight of a silver object. She bent town to pick it up and noticed it was a lighter, Sam's lighter. _Now it made so much sense_ , "you dropped your lighter and came back to look for it. That's why you came back."

Sam clicked his tongue, feeling his earlier progress with her had just been lost. "With that my heroic deed becomes irrelevant."

She shook her head, a small smile on her lips, "not entirely true. I appreciate what you did for me Samuel, honestly. If you didn't care you would finished looking for your lighter and then proceeded to have gone outside and enjoyed a smoke."

"Score one for the gentlemen." He fist pumped, but flinched as the alcohol was still very present on his cut skin.

Grace couldn't contain how comical Sam looked that she gave out a quiet laugh, he joined her as well. Both of their laughs filling the office, Sam couldn't help but stare at her as she continued to giggle, she looked so at peace, the golden hair of her bangs swayed slightly as she rocked side to side still enjoying the moment of quirkiness he had demonstrated.

Of course, moments like these don't last forever, their laughs ceased as they heard the keeper demand to know what happened. His voice outraged no doubt at the discovery of the mess just outside their office door.

* * *

 ** _So Grace is slowly warming up to Sam. Sam knows his time is measured but a few more events await the pair :0_**

 ** _A big thanks to Rox Malone and Laurafxox for your reviews! Also thanks to those of you who have favorited and followed! Much appreciated :D_**

 ** _So thanks for the support and until the next update! :)_**

 ** _-roseimagine_**


	4. Crossing

**Well, it's been a real long time since I updated this story. I hope this chapter makes up for that time though, so enjoy! :D**

* * *

 _Chapter 4: Crossing_

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"Haven't you found anything?" Grace would have walked away from the door as eavesdropping was rude but upon hearing Raphael Adler's tone while speaking to Sam made her stick around. She kept her hand ready at the knob just in case things became more than verbal.

"Well I think we're on the right track." Sam showed off his work station and the many books and notes scattered on his desk.

"I better start seeing some result Sam." Rafe was expecting far more than what he was presented with, he was paying Sam to deliver the treasure not scribbles on sticky notes. He would have thought that by the end of the first week there would be a breakthrough but they were already nearing three weeks with nothing to show for, he had given him more than enough time.

"Alright take it easy Rafe," Sam had been really passive while Rafe was accusing and mocking him but even his patience had limits.

"I hope you're not losing your touch otherwise-" Rafe in his rage knocked over the nearest books and notes, scattering them on the floor.

Grace heart began to drum heavily in her chest upon hearing objects fall, there was no more need for this dark conversation to continue. She walked in, "I brought the other books you needed Samuel," she said trying her best to make herself look oblivious as she walked between the two men, toward the table to drop off the books. She placed the books neatly on the table, she turned back to look at Sam and then Rafe, none of them had moved nor had expressions changed. She felt the need to continue speaking perhaps idle chatter could clear the hostile air somewhat. "The library is quite active today which is a delight, the only thing is the aisles become crowded. Then finding an unoccupied ladder to reach said book becomes a difficulty as others are using them and it's even more hassle when there are multiple books involved…" She didn't think she could keep her rambling up any longer but was glad to notice that Sam began to take a step back from Rafe.

"Its fine Grace," Sam was the first to slip out of the stressed posture he had taken. He kneeled over the area began to pick up the notes and other books that had landed on the floor. His face seemed quite relieved with her sudden appearance otherwise he felt he could of possibly made the argument turn physical. He would only half regret if things went to the fists, Rafe needed to be punched out of his asshole mode.

Raphael had lost his momentum and rolled his eyes at the outcome, "anyways I was just about to leave," his tone had lightened but his eyes continued to be ignited by annoyance. "Pick up the pace Sam don't make me regret what I did for you." He smiled but it wasn't exactly friendly. He was about to leave but before he did, "Ms. Hale I'd like a word with you, if you please," he motioned her to come with him.

Grace was a little surprised but walked over and joined him on the other side of the door.

"Rafe-" He closed the door not leaving any room for Sam to protest.

They walked ahead in silence, Rafe wanting to leave the office a ways behind to avoid being overheard by Sam who had no business knowing about his affairs.

They walked all the way to the parking lot and Raphael hadn't said a word so, Grace decided to speak up feeling the silence was ominous, "is there a problem Mr. Adler?" She wasn't in any trouble from the looks of it but she couldn't identify what Rafe's immediate personality was like. All she had seen was someone who was desperate for results, kind of like a child throwing a tantrum due to not getting what he wants, when he wants it.

"Not exactly." He seemed to be trying to phrase his words carefully, not wanting to appear negative in her eyes. He smoothed his caramel colored hair back and smiled, "I have a simple request." It was obviously a forced smile, if Grace hadn't just witnessed how upset he had been in the room she might have just bought his expression.

Having a personal request made her weary but she kept her exterior calm. "I'm here to assist, whatever is the matter?"

His mood lightened as she seemed eager to support him, _at least someone was competent_ , "I need you to keep a close eye on Samuel. He seems…" He was juggling which word to use in his mind, "different than usual." He shrugged making sure that what he asked wasn't taken as a big deal although it was.

"I see…" She puzzled her chin, what she was more interested in now is the case of his distrust in Sam, maybe something else had transpired when she wasn't in the room. Though, from the look of things their relations seem to go farther back as Rafe could have easily fired Sam on the spot due to his insubordination because even though he had introduced Sam as his partner it was evident that this was not the case.

When she didn't seem to oppose the idea of helping he took it as she was agreeing to his offer. "I trust you will be discreet with this." She nodded. "If anything happens I expect to hear about it immediately." He opened his car door and took out a small, orange envelope. He handed it to her and when she took hold of it – it was filled to the brim, _he was buying her loyalty._

"Of course Mr. Adler." She only agreed to the task out of curiosity. She couldn't help but feel that this treasuring hunting business was all shady to begin with.

"Call me Raphael, like we're old friends." He extended his hand to her and she took it completing the deal with him, "I hope you'll let me call you Grace." His hazel eyes never wavered from her own.

"I don't see a problem with it." She returned his gesture with a smile of her own. After parting hands she resumed a tight grip on the envelope he had given her, reassuring him she would do what he asked.

"Well I'm glad we're on the same page, let me know if anything comes up." He got into his car and left rapidly.

Grace walked back slowly, she needed time to think about what she would do. She decided to visit her locker before meeting Sam, she needed a better look at the items inside the parcel given to her by her _superior._ Making sure no one else was present in the employee locker room she opened it and inside was what she had expected: a bundle of one-hundred dollar bills and a cellphone. She closed the package immediately, disgusted with the thought of how people sell themselves, how they give in and do anything. Granted what she had been asked to do wasn't as horrid as it could be but it was possible that it could take that turn.

She left the package in her locker room and walked back to the office.

Sam was standing near the window with cigarette in his mouth but it immediately left his lips as Grace entered looking serious and pale. He thought her scowl was directed at him and he immediately apologized for his habit. "I know, I know. It was the only thing that could level me." He had thought about pursuing them but decided against it considering he could make matters between Rafe and him worse.

When she didn't so much as look at him, his worry was further fueled. Her eyes were narrowed, the gaze behind her glasses made her look truly terrifying. "What did he want?" Maybe he should have followed them, her lack of any emotion wasn't normal.

 _Was there something more to Sam, what more was he hiding besides being after a fabled treasure? She had derived any harm coming to Sam when Rafe spoke harshly of him but maybe she had given him too much credit, in two weeks she wouldn't get to know him completely but then again he hadn't given her a reason to suspect him, at least not yet._

In her desperation to know where she stood she was going against her better judgment for the second time today, she decided to pry. "There's something that's been bothering me Samuel, birds are a sign of liberty." He scratched the back of his head, his reaction telling her that he was very uncomfortable with what she just said and the follow to her comment. "At some point in your life did you feel imprisoned?"

"You're good at hitting the nail on the head." Feeling as if he had been discovered by his mother doing something completely absurd, he let out a chuckle. "But you've got secrets, I've got mine let's leave it at that."

 _A normal reply to a sensitive topic_ , she thought. Even in his unwillingness to speak he had maintained a sense of composure, he didn't deny her suspicions which now she knew were fact. In doing so it proved that Sam was the honest one while Rafe hadn't given her any reason for trust.

Her trust in him persisted and she decided to warn him. "Raphael Adler distrusts you currently." She said slowly, making sure he knew how grave things were.

Sam shook his head imagining what had happened between Rafe and Grace, her questions and assumption were no doubt caused by his _partner_ …

"He thinks you're up to something and that something doesn't involve him." Rafe didn't want to lose anything, he wouldn't take it well from the looks of it.

"Rafe's job was to throw the money around where we needed it, he didn't need to be part of the intellectual group, not that he's any good at thinking anyways. We were in charge of that." His eyes looked as if he was reliving something in the distant past, something awful.

"I need to keep an eye on you." She added. He turned to look at her and gave her a small smile. She felt that he had taken that line out of context, "Not the way you think. He said I had to…" Grace clarified and cleared her throat trying to cover an unreasonable embarrassment he caused her to feel. "I may not know much about you Samuel, I'm not one to meddle in affairs but I know you're a good person. A little confused and strange but a good person at the core. I'd like to think I'm a good judge of character." He had defended her from armed ruffians, not just anyone would do that for someone who was a stranger. Even in this entire, crazy pursuit of treasure hunting, she saw he was genuine. He had quirks and he was complex, having lived through God knows what but he was someone who had morals. Besides Raphael may be a gentleman but he's hiding something behind that appeal and someone who pulls out bundles of money from their car and gives it to people is just nefarious.

"Well I'm glad you trust me, maybe even like me." He leaned closer to her with his signature smirk.

"Don't push your luck." She warned and rolled her eyes. He chuckled at her expression and sat down. She looked over him another moment deciding she had made the right choice, so she sat down next to him and grabbed a book from the pile and began to read.

Turning her head discreetly she noticed he still had a smile as he read his book.

* * *

The evening had progressed with an occasional discussion or question, Grace had not permitted that the earlier ordeals would make their work relation awkward.

She had stopped reading a passage on Henry Avery physical aspects, on the second page was a hand drawn portrait of him. "Henry Avery, the pirate, hmm…" She tapped her pen over her journal as she had some possible leads written down. "Have you always had an interest in pirates?" Usually known for being violent and ruthless she didn't still quite understand Sam's obsession with them.

"I've always liked treasure and pirates always were the ones with the most of it." He said putting his book down and turning his attention to her.

She lifted her eyebrows unsurprised by his answer, "fair enough." She turned through a couple of more pages which talked about Avery's various crimes, "all those heists he got away with. Talk about incredible…" She kept turning pages, the list of crimes just kept going.

"Charismatic and witty." Sam read aloud as he looked over her notes, those words were scribbled boldly at the top of her notepad. He noticed the several thing she had scribbled down: locations, dates, jewels stolen among other things. One thing that caught his eyes was what seemed to be an analysis of Avery's personality and possible drive, which struck him as odd.

She cleared her throat noticing he had been hovering over her notebook a little too closely. She kept things light not giving away that she had detected how keenly he was looking at her book, she kept flipping through the pages. "These stories usually start off with people who seek the treasure but never return. Ever thought about the possibility of perishing in the attempt?" She voiced bluntly.

"I keep a positive mind, I'll find it." From what she understood this treasure was hard to find yet his persistence made her see he wasn't one to give up easily no matter the obstacle. She smiled slightly, his determination to solve this mystery was strangely admirable. "Was that a smile?" He chuckled, she gasped slightly and looked at him from behind her book. "Yes, it was." He said waving his pointer finger at her playfully.

"What if, stop making such a commotion over a small thing." She buried her face deeper in the book, embarrassed at getting so easily worked up by his charm.

"It's just, you look very pretty when you do." Her face heated up with his comment. She had only smiled at him on one previous occasion and it had been interrupted when the keeper had burst open into their office demanding an explanation on the mess and that had been nearly a week ago, her smile was a very welcome sight with everything he had been through.

Grace didn't lift her gaze from her book and he didn't continue to banter her knowing how easily she could get upset. Sam waited a few instance, bracing himself for backlash but it never came.

It was quiet for another moment until he heard a sigh from her, "have you ever found anything leading to the treasure?" She took her glasses off and closed her book, her gaze lingering on his, no trail of her blush left.

Sam took a breath, "A long time ago we found a relic of Avery's, to be more specific it was the St. Dismas Cross. The answer we sought led us nowhere." _Well it did lead me straight to jail for a real long time,_ he winced at the memory.

She puzzled her chin, "a cross of a penitent thief?" She shook her head at the irony, "Henry Avery doesn't strike me as the religious type being a thief and all…" his crimes some of them being brutal, this was too out of character. She kept thinking, "perchance is there another relic he might have used to guide others?"

"Nope, I have a hunch it was just that." He had gone through enough scriptures, entries and decoding to know that the cross was the item that lead them to the next step. Whatever parchment had resided inside of the cross, it had been the next clue. A treasure that wouldn't be so easily found if not for the first step. "Yeah but someone got to it first." _Who knows how long ago_ but he couldn't and didn't want to believe it had been found.

He wasn't giving her so much to work with or believe in, "maybe that means someone already beat you to this fabled treasure."

"No we would be the first. I promised." Someone was bound to boast about one of the biggest findings in history, no way something like that could be kept a secret.

She stared at him curiously, her blue eyes sharpened. "When you say we, I get the feeling you're not including Raphael but someone else." It was becoming clearer to her that Sam was only utilizing Rafe's funds.

He shrugged her comment off but quickly responded, "what if it was a girl?"

"Well isn't she lucky then," Her voice came out colder than she had expected it to. Why did she feel uncomfortable with the thought of him sharing his findings with another woman, _the fatigue must be playing with her_. She distracted herself by picking another book, her hand hovering over the pile on the table, prolonging the moment in which she did not have to look at Sam. Though she felt his chair slide closer to her.

He leaned in, a smirk once again taunting her. "What if I was referring to you?"

Her hand clenched into a fist and landed on top of a book with a thud, she turned and glared at him, "I know you're not." Clearly he didn't want her to know of whom he spoke but she would have appreciated sincerity, he could have simply chosen to avoid the question. Not lead her on as if she was actually special to him, which in turn, made her feel dubious. Was her trust justly put or should she watch herself around Sam just as much as Rafe?

"Suit yourself." He grimaced and rolled his chair away from her, his attention was completely taken by a script he was reading, he didn't seem to care that she was gawking at him.

 _No, he wasn't bad, just a flirt who happened to annoy her yet know how to exactly charm her._

* * *

She arrived home, massaging her temples and rubbing her eyes. Today she had read excessively through some accounts but again nothing that would get Sam his fabled treasure.

His fixation on the cross was something she couldn't get out of her head.

If she was thinking historically: Dismas had asked Jesus for forgiveness in the humblest of ways and he had responded the penitent thief with first accepting his confession and then promising him peace and basking in the promise land. Anyone could ask for clemency but it was the truly dedicated that would reach their goal, essentially. There would be an initial step to take but it would be the same for everyone, which got her thinking: follow his example _, for a multitude to follow you possibly need several of the object._

She turned on her laptop and began searching for possible multiples of the St. Dismas Cross, eventually finding a picture of the interior of a small chapel in Italy. It was a gallery showing multiple views of the church and plans to renovate it but as she scanned through the pictures she halted over the one that was positioned near the altar.

Hanging above, almost at a blurred angle "Wait isn't that?" _There were multiple crosses!_ Her hypothesis was correct and she had one thought in mind. "I've got to let him know as soon as possible!" She had only delayed actual research online considering Sam had said that everything they needed was inside books but now she was uncertain. Sam was no fool, perhaps he already knew this information either way she pressed onward wanting to know if there was a possibility of buying the cross. As she dove into the article it read that the cross was no longer there as it was given to a patron of the church. There was no name, _it could be anywhere_. "But at least there's still some hope after all." She breathed relieved but she was surprised with her reaction, _had Sam influenced her so much already_?

Giving him a call sounded reasonable but the hour seemed inconvenient. It was three in the morning but Sam wasn't one to rest when it came to this, so she decided to call anyways. It wrung a couple of times before being answered, "damn it, slide already!" She heard him grunt possibly unaware he had answered already.

She heard a cracking noise on the other side of the line. "Hello Samuel." She said stifling a laugh as she heard him fight with his phone.

"Grace! What a pleasant surprise," His voice changed back to his cheery tone, playing off his struggle. "Calling to watch the sunrise with me?" She could see his grin as he spoke.

"Tempting but no, I have some useful information for you." She said looking over the website and her findings, her glasses reflected the screen as she scrolled down.

It suddenly became quiet on, so she continued to speak.

"Did you know there's another cross?" She clicked on the picture and decided to print it as evidence.

"Have you been snooping online?" He accused.

She let out a breath and took off her glasses, to rub the bridge of her nose. "Investigating and yes, why?" She didn't understand his sudden guard.

"I told you not to do that." His tone was sharper than before.

"Why not? I thought you would be happy to know it exists and that there's a chance." Her eyebrows knitted together in frustration.

"Look we'll talk tomorrow." The call ended abruptly.

"Fine." Grace responded even though the call was over. She got up and took the picture of the cross that had exited the printer. It was small and sort of blurry, she sighed once again. "Why did I even bother…?" She placed the picture and phone on the table but before she had a chance to stand her phone wrung. It was an unknown number yet she had an inkling that she had seen this number before.

"Hello?" She answered, trying to hide how irritated her voice sounded.

"Hello Grace, I heard you found something. Care to elaborate?" A cool voice asked.

"Raphael, how did you know that?" Again she kept her voice calm but her eyes had gone wide with surprise.

He chuckled briefly before answering, "You did say you were on my side or has that changed?" His voice was amiable but it was evident he was losing his patience.

"Of course not I-" She answered with no hesitation or fear.

"Good," He interrupted. "It won't bother you to know that I keep tabs on your main phone just in case you didn't feel like using the one I gave you. Now tell me why did Sam stop you from investigating online?"

"He said that internet information wasn't always reliable." She answered honestly. It was an answer she hoped didn't hold any repercussion toward Sam or her.

"Did he now?" He hummed for a moment deliberating whether he believed her or not. "We'll speak later." She agreed and then the call was over. Everything was silent and it made her feel uneasy.

She placed her phone softly on the table and just stared at it, she didn't even feel like breathing around it, as it felt like Rafe could hear everything she was doing.

Sam was playing with fire and now her curiosity had landed her very close to the flames.

* * *

 **So there we have! I hope you readers liked! So Rafe will play a dominant role in the next chapter, writing as him is real interesting.**

 ** _Anyways, a big thanks to Anime hotty lover.18 and Guest for your reviews! Also thanks to those of you who have favorited and followed! Much appreciated (:D) If you can, leave a review, I love to know what you guys think will happen!_**

 ** _So thanks for the support and until the next update! :)_**

 ** _-roseimagine_**


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